Page 386 of Off Limits: The Firsts

The words hit my ears nonetheless and give me hope that he heard and understands where I’m coming from.

“I didn’t open the file, Emerson.”

“I believe you.” And I do.

“And I’ll always blame myself for not saving you—I’ve been told it’s called a hero complex or something.” I can feel his mouth curve into a smile as he presses it against my shoulder. “But I’ll use it to help others.”

I snuggle in closer against him. My head is finally quiet, allowing me to fall into a dreamless sleep.

I wake with a start. For a minute I’m disoriented, but then I realize Grant’s still behind me, arm draped over my waist.

Crap.

“I have to get to work,” I say but make zero attempts to move.

“Call in sick,” he says in a sleep-drugged voice that sounds as tempting as his morning hard-on pressing against my backside feels.

It has never sounded more appealing than right now. “I can’t.”

“You’re picking work over me?” He chuckles.

“I’m picking money over you.”

“Pretty soon, the place will be yours, so does it really matter if you’re there today or not?”

The pang is instant. Having to speak the words aloud even more painful. “I didn’t get the loan.”

His body stiffens before he untangles himself from around me and sits up. “What did you say?”

“I didn’t get the loan.”

His face falls from shock to worry. “What does that mean?”

I slide out of bed. “It means I need to earn my paycheck while I can because I don’t know who bought Blue Skies or what they intend to do with it, if anything. For all I know, they’re going to raze the place and put something else in its spot.”

“Em . . . I don’t know what to—”

“There’s nothing you can say. It’s okay. Really. I’ll figure something else out.” I force a tight smile, always mindful of how my life goes from one extreme to the next, as I pull on my clothes. I haven’t really even had time to process it all, so talking about it makes me itchy.

“If it’s a money thing, Em . . . you know I’ll—”

“Thanks, but from what I overheard in the station last night, you’re suspended, so I assume you’re not making a paycheck, either.” I shrug and pull my shirt over my head. “I’m a big girl, Grant. I—”

“Can handle yourself,” he finishes for me.

“Chief Ramos,” I say, shocked to see his name on my cell. “This is an unexpected surprise.”

“So is what you did,” he says.

“What can I do for you?” I will not apologize, not even to my boss, for my actions.

“I know you talked to Deputy Chief Castro last night, but I have to give you the official company line. What you did was wrong. You went against protocol. Became the scene instead of managed it. Yadda, yadda, yadda. You got all that?”

“Sure,” I say, biting back my smile at his cavalier attitude.

“Good. Now I can say what I want to say, off the record, of course.”

“Of course, sir.”